Typewriter desk



July 14, 1942. IF. 1.. w. LINK T' YPEWRITER DESK Filed April 22, 1940 INVENTOR. jb/E'E-ST L. W .L/NK.

BY I

ATTORN EYs.

Patented July 14, 1942 T FFICE 3' Glaims.

This inventionrelatestoa typewriter desk-and -pa-rticularlytd a--desk of the-pedestalty-pe in which a typewriter shelf adapted to earryatypewriter is mounted so that it maybe concealed within a standard-widthpedestalfrom whichit may be withdrawnfor use.

In view of the fact that a typewriter is mounted upon-a shelf' arrangement,- -it--is of great importancethat various safety measures be provided so that the typewriter will not suffer injury. For example, it is desirablethat it be impossible to raise-the shelf until the shelf has-been withdrawn sufficiently so that the' typewriter will clearthedesk. It is likewise-desirable that it be impossible to push the-shelf in until it is'returned to-its closed position. In-this way' it can beas- 'suredthat a typewriter mounted upon a shelf 1 will notbe subjected to injury.

- In connection with' maintaining" the shelf in its raised position, some holding means must be provided. This holding means "must Y be releasable in order that theshelf may be returned-to its concea'ledposition. 'Inview of the'fa'ct that a typewritenis' a fairly =h'eavy instrument," there is danger that the loperators fingers mighflbe 'caught orpinched in thisioperation.

"It 'istherefore an object of my invention to provide a holdin'g'means for such a' shelf" which is releasable from above the shelf; so that the operators fingers are not enda'ngered.

It -is another object o'f rny inventi'on 'to provide an arrangemeht whereby the shelf cannot be raised until it is fully withdrawn, and whereby "it cannot *bepushed 'inuntil it is again f L upwardly directed V-shaped track element' 24.

lowered.

' It is anetherobject-of-my 'invention' to provide a novel track arrangement-whichispar- "tic-'nl'arly adapted to *take a lateral thrust as well as a gravitational thrust'whereby freer movement "of the shelf is obtained.

Theseand other objects of my invent-ion wliich will 'be described hereinaftery'or which'will be apparenttoone skilled in the artupon reading this specification, I accomplish by tha't' certain construction and arrangement ofpartsjof which I shall now describe an exemplary "embodiment.

Reference is now made to the drawing" forming a part hereof, and in which .Fi'gure 1 is a front elevation of a desk to which my invention may be applied.

Fig. 2 is a partial front elevation similar to Figure 1, showing the door of the left-hand pedestal in open position, and the shelf in its raised position.

' Fig. -3 is a cross sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a partial cross sectional view on astill greater scale taken on the line 4- of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, but showing the shelf in its lowered position.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the underneath side of the shelf.

Fig. 7 is a detailed-perspective view of the shelf-release.

Brieflyin' the practice of my invention I provide a pedestal desk which may be of the type shown in Figure 1, having the pedestals generally indicatedat In and II, a top l2 and a center drawer 13. It will be noted that the lefthand pedestal Illhas the appearance of having three drawers l4. These drawers however are only'simulated, and actually form a door as clearly seen in Fig. 2. When the door' 14 "is open access is had 'to the interior of the pedestal H); which is arranged'to contain typewriter'shelf and typewriter when'in its closed position.

Mounted on the inside of the pedestal I0 near Lthetop of the space I5, is a channel element 16. This may be spot welded to the bracing members indicated generally at 11, I8 and 19, in Fig.3.

As clearly se'en'in Figs. 4 and 5, the element [6 is provided with an upwardly directed V-shaped track portion 20, and a lower downwardly erected V=shaped track portion 2 l.

Asecond channel element generallyindicat'ed at 22 is arranged to cooperate with themember I 6. The member 22 has an upwardly downwardly directed V-slfaped track element 23, and alower The trackelements of the member 22 are spaced slightly from the track elements of the member l6 and balls 25 are disposed between the upper and lower bars of tracks. 'It will be clear that the cooperating track elements 20, 23 and 21; '24,

together with the balls 25, provide not only a bearing'f-or gravitational loads, but also for lateral thrusts which will be encountered because of the unbalanced mounting.

"The shelf member proper which is generally indicated at '26 is attached to the member ZZ'by means of hinges 21. The shelf member 26 may "be of any desired'constrdction and is preferably welded to the member 26. Fastened to the channel member 22 as by means of screws 32, is a bracket 33. A relatively heavy tension spring 34 is connected at one end to the bracket 33, and at the other end to the bracket 3|. One of these connections is preferably made adjustable by any conventional means such as indicated at 35 in Figs. 3, 4 and 5. It will be clear that the spring 34 tends to balance the weight of the shelf and typewriter whereby raising the shelf when it is fully withdrawn is made easier.

Extending from the rear of the shelf member 26 is a tail piece 36. This may be attached by bolts or spot welded as desired. An angle piece 31 is fastened in any desired manner to the channel element I6, in such a position that when the shelf 26 is fully withdrawn and raised, the tail piece 36 will be in front of the member 31. It will now be clear that the shelf cannot be pushed in because the member 36 will abut the member 31 as shown in Fig. 4. When the shelf is returned to its lowered position as shown in Fig. 5, it will be clear that the member 36 clears the member 31, and that the shelf may be pushed in.

The longitudinal edge of the shelf opposite the hinge is formed with a channel element 38, which element is cut away as shown at 39 in Fig. 6. Mounted on the inside of the pedestal is a bracket 40, which carries a roller 4|, on a Vertical axis. The relation of the roller 4| and the cut away portion 39 of the channel 38 is such that when the shelf 26 is in its fully withdrawn position, the shelf may be raised with the roller 4| passing through the opening 39. The dimensions of the channel 38 and the roller 4| are such that the roller 4| can ride in the channel, as clearly seen in Fig. 5.

It will now be clear that when the shelf is returned to the position of Fig. 5, the roller 4| passes through the opening 39, and the shelf may be pushed in with the roller 4| riding in the channel 38. It will also be clear that except when the opening 39 is positioned opposite the roller 4|, the shelf 26 cannot be raised. Stop means indicated at 42 are provided for limiting the withdrawal of the shelf to the position shown in Fig. 3.

In the opposite front corner of the pedestal is mounted a catch or holding device generally indicated at 43, for holding the shelf in its raised position. As shown in Fig. 4, a generally Z-shaped member 43 provides a catch 43a, arranged to support the edge of the shelf. The member 43 is hinged at 44, and is urged to the position shown by a spring 45. The portion. 43b is disposed inside the corner portion of the pedestal, the portion 43a passing through a slot for that purpose provided. Fixed to the upper end of the member 431) and passing through a perforation in the corner member is a pin 46. Pivotally mounted on top of the shelf is a lever 41, the end 41a of which is arranged to contact the pin 46. The lever 41 is biased in a counterclockwisedirection by a small spring 48.

It will be clear that by pressing on the end 41?) of the lever 41 the lever will be pivoted. whereby the end 41a will bear on the pin 46 retracting the catch member 43 and permitting theshelf 26 to be lowered. The lowering of the shelf is thus accomplished without danger to the operator.

From the foregoing it will be understood that I have provided a typewriter shelf construction which assures easy action, which is desirable from the point of View of safety to the typewriting instrument mounted thereon, and which is not likely to cause injury to the operator. It will also be understood that numerous modifications will suggest themselves, and these modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention. I therefore do not intend to limit myself except as pointed out in the claims which follow.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination with a desk pedestal and a hinged typewriter shelf, a channel element horizontally mounted in a wall of said pedestal, and having upwardly and downwardly directed V-shaped tracks on its upper and lower limbs respectively, a second channel element having downward and upwardly directed V-shaped tracks on its upper and lower limbs respectively, said last mentioned tracks being spaced respectively above and below said first mentioned tracks, balls disposed between the upper and lower bars of tracks, said shelf being hingedly mounted on said second channel element, said shelf having along the edge opposite the hinged edge, a channel shaped track and a roller mounted in spaced relation to the wall of said pedestal on a vertical axis, and arranged to engage in said channel shaped track.

2. In combination with a desk pedestal and a typewriter shelf slidably and hingedly mounted on a wall in said pedestal, a channel shaped track extending substantially the full length of the edge of said shelf opposite said hinged edge, and a roller mounted on said wall in a position to engage in said channel shaped track when said shelf is in a substantially vertical position, and a cut-out portion in said track, said roller being disposed with respect to said cut-out portion so that the roller may pass therethrough when said shelf is in its fully extended position.

3. In combination with a desk pedestal and a typewriter shelf slidably and hingedly mounted on a wall in said pedestal, a channel shaped track extending substantially the full length of the edge of said shelf opposite said hinged edge, and a roller mounted on said wall in a position to engage in said channel shaped track when said shelf is in a substantially vertical position, and a cut-out portion in said track, said roller being disposed with respect to said cut-out portion so that the roller may pass therethrough when said shelf is in its fully extended position, an abutment adjacent the rear of said shelf and an abutment on said wall adjacent the front of said pedestal, said abutments coming into operative relation when said shelf is raised after it has been fully withdrawn, to prevent the shelf being pushed in while in raised position, and said abutments arranged to clear each other when said shelf is returned to said substantially vertical position.

FOREST L. W. LINK. 

